Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77000
Saturday, October 1, 1994 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOLLOWED BY SURGES. THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY AUTOROTATION LANDING. DURING THE GROUND RUN THE AIRCRAFT LANDING SKID BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE VEGETATION, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN RIGHT AND ROLL OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE REASON FOR THE PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND SURGES WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77000
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID IAH
Elevation of weather observation facility 98
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1541
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2058
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5996X
NTSB Number FTW95LA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Brantly Helicopter
Aircraft Model B-2
Aircraft Series Identifier B-2
Aircraft Serial Number 141
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TURCOTTE, JOSEPH R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4141 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY #340
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77027
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SGR
Departure City SUGARLAND
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SGR
Destination City
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --